Jim Warman Posted July 24, 2010 Author Share Posted July 24, 2010 You work for a dealer.... already you are "different" and you guys say it every day.... <I AM A DEALER TECH - A MASTER TECH- A DIESEL TECH>. Back when I was self employed, I did a lot of things to repair a customers vehicle without spending millions of dollars.... (the year I thankfully closed my gas station my gross sales were over a miliion dollars). Some of you would rate them up there with resolder poorly made robot generated solder joints. We would rebuild... REBUILD starters on the bench... generators - alternators.... carbs.... even to the point of rebushing a throttle shaft.... Every last one of these repairs would be impossible to warranty at a national level.... and it is this selling point we must consider. Most of you guys don't see how complex some of these issues are.... How many of you guys have worked at anything other than (first) a Ford dealer.... and second any dealer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 When I first started working back in 1986 we still repaired things like engines, and alternators...I recall around 1989 it all went down hill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted July 24, 2010 Author Share Posted July 24, 2010 When I first started working back in 1986 we still repaired things like engines, and alternators...I recall around 1989 it all went down hill. In 1982, you could bring us a PS pump pulley and, with the parts we stocked (yes... the same store I now work at) on the shelves, you could build a PS pump.... Ford has gone "modular".... While the aftermarket will supply "small" parts (Dorman products and the Explorer/Ranger blend door problem comes to mind for only one of many examples) for a repair that may save a few bucks, it is hard for us to disregard the fact that we work for Ford stores and it should be Ford parts we sell.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy57 Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Repairing many issues on cars is a multiple choice question with several answers that are possible but one best answer (gotta love those ASE tests). If you have a 6.0 with cold start dead cylinders and FICM telltale codes then you: A. Replace FICM on the truck as customer is passing through with family and is headed to the hither and yond before he returns home, B. Replace FICM half as the truck is ESP Dieselcare and they only want whatever is cheapest and all the junkyard FICM's are sold out and open face FICM sandwich is next cheapest, C. Solder the FICM power stage wave soldered assembled joints that have heat cycle cracked on the truck belonging to the Maintenance Supervisor of one of your biggest best fleet customers as he is worried that they will yank his company truck he's been driving for job and to/from home if costs this month are too out of line to keep him in truck, D. Replace FICM, oil cooler, block off EGR, add coolant filter, add head studs, load power programmer with EGR delete software and a propane kit and maybe some 70 HP injectors for good measure. D we know is wrong but each of A, B, and C are likely valid for each of the stated situations. Mass produced wave soldered electronics have their issues no doubt and lots of the pieces are easily repaired and do last when bench fixed but you have to have a known set of circumstances that let you do it with peace of mind. Back in the rebuild in house days you knew when you pulled the end cap off a Delco starter and the swing arms with brushes on end had its side touching commutator due to worn brushes you could fix it. When the end cap came off and you smelled death and brushes were good it was time to price reman'd with no further waste of time. If keeping your job is dictated by selling stuff for the parts dept at all cost then more of the answers above are not correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted July 31, 2010 Author Share Posted July 31, 2010 Since I work at a Ford dealer, I don't have as many "multiple choices" as you imagine. Ford is a "national chain store". As such, people expect that the repair I perform on their vehicle, should something go wrong, will be repaired under some sort of service part warranty. "Cold" solder joints are a fact of life these days.... (friggin' robots are overpaid, yes?) so we are left with a conumdrum..... I can resolder connections in your FICM/GEM/PCM/ what-have-you and pray like a mad bastuhd that this is going to be the end of it.... Or - I can replace the module at significant cost and transfer the onus onto the rebuilder/supplier (in MY case.... Ford). If I choose to resolder connections and something subsequently rears it's ugly head, there is the chance that a customer is going to be disappointed when he finds that "warranty" is a relative term. Exploring a bit further, we discover that your big ol' fat ass 200 watt gun cooked the fuck out of everything even close to affected joint... of course this will wait for a really opportune time to become apparent... like a consultant or subcontractor might lose a job because he can't go to work.... or some poor dork on a tight budget finds his dream holiday has turned into a nightmare. It's no big deal for me to resolder a connection on my own vehicle (this would be the pick up)and play wait and see. It is a much different deal when we get to my car... something I rarely drive but something I send my loving bride to "the city" in. I really want to be sure I'm not creating a "time bomb" . Your examples are, at least, somewhat amusing. Given a choice, I will replace the FICM for subject A.... no surprise here.... No matter what you tell the customer... no matter what he reads... you worked on his truck... YOU TOUCHED IT LAST!!!!! Subject B.... WTF is this shit about used parts? Subject C..... WTF is this shit? If somebodies cost per mile is "traditionally" too high - he gets the microscope treatment. DriveRight has a device for that. I would suggest that if the fleet operator feels that something is wrong with repair costs - the vendor will change long before an old and trusted employee..... Subject D... can I have some of what you're smoking? The dieselstop is elsewhere.... those guys will live with a problem for years and years and years looking for a cheap solution..... wouldn't want to chance going to the "stealership" now, would we? The world I live in today is very different from the world I grew up in.... from the design and construction of subassemblies to the sophistication of the electronics... much has changed over the years. If time has taught me anything, it has taught me that I don't know as much as I think I do. FWIW... my job isn't about selling parts... My job is about happy customers. Happy customers are the ones that came into the shop, got fixed up quick and are back at work. I've been in "the business" for over 40 years, I teach people stuff every day and I am very much employed. (sorry about the personal dig). It has ALWAYS been about the customer... not his wallet.... but his BEST INTERESTS. Many of my current customers I have known personally for over 30 years. Many "noncustomers" look to me for free second opinions (ain't that a fucking treat?) - I suppose my intentional ambiguity is wrong? Free? Ain't. Cheap? Ain't. Every time I ever set out to save a customer ONE DOLLAR - it COST ME 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoWilimek Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 Originally Posted By: mchan68 Okay, I just priced out both parts. FICM 4C3Z-12B599-ABRM Cost: $482.70 List: $583.47 FICM Half Shell 4C3Z-12B599-BARM Cost: $493.35 List: $836.19 WTF? So, a HALF FICM costs almost DOUBLE the price?!!!! Well, Ford finally caught up to their mistake, that it was totally ridiculous pricing half a component at double the price of the whole thing. The only problem is now, they raised the price of the whole FICM. 4C3Z 12B599 ABRM now lists for $823.74 trade price. Go figure that one out. I didn't price the half FICM as it was a retail job, but maybe the price on it has now gone down. That was for an 04 F250. I just got another one towed in with the exact same codes, but an 05 F350. Retail, the FICM is $969.10 and coming out of Edmonton. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARRY BRUDZYNSKI Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Hey guy's......Alliant Power now has FICM's Available. There are 3 different numbers, they come programmed depending on the application. You can use any one of them to get you out of trouble and reprogram them. They all cost the same. $450.00 exchange $250.00 core. In stock, not backordered....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 That's big info...... Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbl35 Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 Thats good to know since we change a pile of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 Retail in Canada on a FICM is over $900 now... Did two at the $600 & change price on a fleet of trucks, now their third truck is in, and the guy is expecting to have the whole job done for the same price... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselD Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 900bucks for a FICM???? thats insane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted August 22, 2010 Author Share Posted August 22, 2010 Over $1000 now.... <insert sound of auctioneer babble here>. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Over $1000 now Stealerships! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 We had a guy that bought one off fleabay for about 200 bucks cheaper. It didn't work but was guaranteed. By the time the second one arrived and was installed, he was out of his truck for about 6 weeks and 400 or 500 bucks more than if he had just followed the normal avenue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted August 22, 2010 Author Share Posted August 22, 2010 Originally Posted By: Jim Warman Over $1000 now Srealerships! Speel chock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Srealerships! I really hate when I do that. And I hate you too Jim! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 so I had the first one the other day, truck was under warrenty, had just the P0611 code, followed the TSB and in that wonderful TSB the steps are to monitor the battery voltage... was above 12.5 then to remove the FICM relay and PMI the FICM... did that the FICM_MPWR was still low at 15 volts. after retesting the FICM after PMI still have P0611. replace the case half...right??? fill out the Prior approval, they say replace FICM... WTF!! ok so i call the hotline to get to the bottem of this, well first off you do not need approval to replace the FICM half, not in the TSB. Second if you do the PMI and it fails to get to the 48 volt you have to replace the FICM half..BUT if you do a self test ( which doesn't say that in the TSB but it does when you fill out the prior apprval form) and the P0611 comes back you need to replace the FICM... AGAIN not in the TSB. TSBs are good for one thing... ok maybe not!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Saunoras Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 okay that makes sense..............NOT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshbuys Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Had one on saturday, did the whole tsb...blah blah blah, replaced the FICM 1half, re-installed - truck won't communicate with FICM pulled FICM back out to check for bent pins - no problems installed test FICM programs fine - contacted prior approval - put new whole FICM in....no problems! Never had this issue before - anybody seen this?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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